Currently, a variety of electrophoresis systems exist in the art which are used for sorting and separating macromolecules (e.g. DNA, RNA and proteins) based on their size and electric charge. Electrophoresis typically refers to the force (e.g. electromotive force) applied to move molecules through a gel matrix. These systems typically utilize an electrophoresis tank, a UV trans-illuminator and/or an LED trans-illuminator for visualization and imaging. Typically in such electrophoresis systems, a gel matrix (e.g., agarose or polyacrylamide) is used to separate the macromolecules by size. Typically, the gel is placed in a gel chamber and an electrical field is applied to the gel chamber via an external power supply which provides an electric current. The electric field causes macromolecules loaded in the gel to separate based on various parameters such as their size, the density of the gel, the voltage of the power supply. Typically, the electric field comprises opposing charges at opposite ends of the gel chamber containing the gel. That is, the electric field consists of a negative charge at one end which pushes the molecules through the gel, and a positive charge at the other end that pulls the molecules through the gel.
The external power supply typically connects to the electrophoresis chamber and provides an electric field between two electrodes. The external power supply is then manually controlled to allow a user to set the output voltage for different size chamber or gel tanks and adjust the voltage for desired result.
The scalability and control of the electrophoresis systems in existing systems is cumbersome and requires multiple separate units (e.g. external power supply), which increase cost and space requirements. Present electrophoresis systems are generally not intended to be integrated. In cases where partial integration is possible, electrophoresis systems require external power sources when integrating with high throughput automated systems, such as robotic liquid handling machines.
Furthermore, electrophoretic power supplies generally supply a single voltage level that is applied globally to a single gel chamber. That is, in existing systems no ability exists to provide different (e.g. multiple) voltage levels to discrete gel chambers, which is desirable to control the electrophoretic migration of macromolecules in a spatial manner.
It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate at least some the above deficiencies.